Sports news from Los Angeles and beyond

Former UCLA women's basketball Coach Nikki Caldwell set to triple salary at Louisiana State

April 3, 2011 | 11:13
am

Nikki Caldwell will make three times her UCLA salary when she takes over as women's basketball coach at Louisiana State, according to a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on salary matters.

Caldwell will receive more than $900,000 a year to coach the Tigers' women's basketball team, a significant boost over her salary of roughly $300,000 a year with the Bruins.

UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero made what he termed a "very attractive multiyear offer to keep her in Westwood," but Caldwell opted to return to the Southeastern Conference, where she won national titles as a player and an assistant coach at Tennessee.

Caldwell did not receive a raise during her three years with the Bruins, when she guided them to a 72 victories and two NCAA tournament appearances. But a booster offered to cover the cost of a European summer trip for the team, said a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the offer.